Avi Lewis’ daring, refreshing campaign may come to nothing; end of discussion. Or maybe, if New Democrats are feeling frisky, beginning of discussion. The country could use it.
Mark Carney appears open to changing details, if not his overall direction, in the face of pushback, and that direction is not dictated by ideology, but by pragmatism. But he is hard to read.
Until further notice, we are passengers in this environmental and economic setback, and Donald Trump is at the wheel.
Mark Carney is also, at this early stage, a conundrum: a man who speaks in giant steps, but promises pragmatism.
Canadians will continue to boycott U.S. products, cancel trips down south, drop Netflix, Amazon, and Apple TV subscriptions, and wait for someone to lead the parade they have already started. Flags flying high.
Economic gears have been grinding in unsettling ways since the pandemic, there are no quick fixes, and the first responsibility of any government should be to protect the vulnerable. Everyone else will survive—and may even find something to celebrate.
If this is public broadcasting’s last chance to save itself, it needs to move fast—and the majority of Canadians who, polls say, still support the limping institution will need to make their voices heard.
The enemy without—climate change, of course—is scratching at the window, unheard and ignored. In one way or another it’s coming for us all.
The ideal prime minister would be someone with no political baggage, no embarrassing internet history, no ideological quirks, with razor-sharp debating skills, a sense of humour, and a warm heart.
Kamala Harris hasn’t just revived a fretful Democratic Party, in the opening weeks of her presidential campaign, in her own country. Her arrival has lifted a palpable weight from the shoulders of many Canadians, too—especially, but not exclusively, women.
Elizabeth May’s unexpected denouement left media, opposition parties, and the dysfunctional security apparatus looking like bit players in an Inspector Clouseau farce. The whole fiasco will only confirm Canada’s reputation as a soft target for foreign meddlers.
This dynamic, this blame game, is not new to our politics, but it has never seemed this ridiculous.
It would be naive to believe that foreign governments don’t attempt to steal trade secrets, or undermine public trust in our democracy. For our allies, Canada’s anti-espionage efforts have long been seen as pitifully weak. But how serious is the threat?
